Known for his strong visual style, he established himself at the age of 24 with the political drama Before the Revolution (1964). He later went on to write and direct such masterpieces as The Conformist (1970), Last Tango in Paris (1972), 1900 (1976), The Last Emperor (1987, which garnered a total of nine Academy Awards, including Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Screenplay), and Besieged (1999). His films are generally characterized as romantic and sensuous, often set against sharply defined social and political backdrops.